Pump



atented may l7, lWB

anti

6 Ella The invention relates to pumps for use in deep wells for raisingliquids, such as oil and water therefrom.

The invention pertains particularly to attachments for pumps of thischaracter which allow the strainer and the adjacent formation to becleaned while the pump is operating.

It is one of the objects of the invention to provide a pump having areciprocating plunger therein with means associated therewith to forceliquid through the strainer to clear the openings therein and to carrythe foreign material upwardly so that it may be discharged at thesurface.

I desire to provide means associated with the pumping apparatus to packoff portions of the strainer in which the pump is located and to force acurrent of fluid through the openings at a plurality of stages along thelength of the strainer.

The invention consists particularly in the construction of the apparatuswhich will be better understood from the description which follows:

Referring to the drawing, Fig. 1 is a central longitudinal sectionthrough a portion of the pump and the strainer equipped with one form ofmy invention.

Fig. 2 is a transverse section on the plane 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the plane 3-3 of Fig. 1

While it is possible to operate my invention in connection with manytypes of ordinary reciprocating pumps I have disclosed the invention asapplied to a pump such as is ordinarily termed a fluid packed pump. Itis to be understood, how- Cal ever, that the use of my invention is notcon-- fined to this particular type of pump.

In the drawing I have shown the pump tubing 1 as concentric with anouter perforated pipe or strainer 2 and it is to be understood that thestrainer acts to prevent the entrance of sand and other material fromthe formation to the interior of the well.

The pump tubing I, as shown in the drawing, is connected by means of acoupling 3 to the pump barrel 4, which is threaded internally at itslower end at 5 for connection with the bushing 6 which forms a base atthe lower end of the barrel.

The base 6 is connected at I to a downward extension 8 which may be theusual gas anchor, if desired, The interior of the base 6 has a taperedseat 9 within which the standing valve assembly may be seated. The upperend of the base 55 member has an annular shoulder at Ill upon which Di.ltd-2d) is supported the pump liner it which extends from the baseupwardly against a shoulder it upon the coupling 3. This structure maybe employed to hold the liner in place or obviously said liner may besecured in place by welding or other well known means.

Within the seat is located the standing valve which includes a tubularmember it. On the outer surface of the member it are placed a series ofpacking rings it, the outer surface of which is tapered downwardly. Saidrings are held in place upon the tubular member by a lower ring or nutit screwed upon the lower end thereof. The uppermost of the packingrings contact with an outer shoulder on the tubular member it. Above thepacking rings a stationary pump barrel it is extended upwardly for thedesired height and serves to form a space between the same and the innerwall of the liner M. This space is adapted to receive the plunger barrelll. The standing valve barrel It has a plurality of perforations ittherein which may be extended in a,direction inclined upwardly and serveto allow a circulation back and forth between the interior and theexterior of the standing valve barrel l6.

Within the upper end of the tubular member I3 is fitted a valve seat (19to receive a ball valve 20 in the usual manner. A cross pin 2| in thestanding valve barrel serves to limit the upward movement of the ballvalve from its seat. Toward the upper end of the barrel I6 is asubstantial cross pin 22 which may be employed in removing the standingvalve from its seat when it is necessary to withdraw the same from thewell.

The pump plunger is made up of the plunger barel l1 which telescopesover the standing barrel I 6 and within the pump liner as will beclearly understood. The upper end of the barrel connects with a head orbushing 23 which is in turn connected with the valve cage 24 in theusual manner. Between the cage and the bushing 23 is clamped the valveseat 25 upon which the ball valve 26 is located. The upper end of thecage is formed with a threaded nipple 21 for attachment to the usualpump rod.

My cleaning attachment for this type of pump includes a. skirt 2B, whichis connected with the pump tubing at a point above the pump barrel. Ihave shown the same as welded to the tubing at 29. The upper end of theskirt has an inwardly and upwardly tapered portion 30, the body of theskirt, however, being tapered downwardly and extended to a desired levelbelow the pump. The lower end is flared outwardly and which serves as anattachment for a. flexible bag 32 which may be of canvas or similartough material.

The lower end of the canvas packer bag is secured to the rim 3| byrivets or other similar means. At the upper end of the packer is aspring 33 which may consist of a resilient hoop of spring metal which ispreferably cut at some point to allow a resiliency therein. This hoopmay be held in place by attachment to the skirt 28 in any desirablemanner. I have shown a plurality of radial pins 34 having coiled springs35 thereon by means of which the upper end of the bag is heldresiliently outward. I do not wish to be confined to this particularsupport for the upperend of the bag, however, as other means may beemployed.

Within the skirt 28 and spaced from the upper end thereof I provide aring valve. This ring valve comprises a ring-shaped member 36, whichsurrounds the pump tubing and rests upon a ring 31 which is secured tothe tubing and to the skirt by any desired means such as welding.

The upper end of the seat member 31 has a tapered groove to receive thelower side of the ring 36. There are a plurality of openings 38 throughthe seat ring through which fluid may pass. The valve ring 36 is helddownwardly in its groove to close said openings by means of a spring 39,which surrounds a stem 40 projecting downwardly from the seat andbearing at its lower end against the nut 4! upon the stem. There is across pin 42 which serves as a support for the upper end of the spring39. It will be seen that the passage of fluid within the skirt 28downwardly will be prevented but a predetermined pressure on the lowerside of the valve will raise the ring and allow fluid to pass up wardly.An opening 43 is provided in the tubing above the pump barrel and withinthe skirt through which fluid may pass into the pump barrel so as to bemoved upwardly with the fluid raised by the pump.

I desire to provide a plurality of packers along the length of thestrainer and I have shown a second packer along the strainer above theone previously described. This packer is similar in construction to theone noted. It has a skirt shown at 2B which is somewhat shorter than theone previously noted but carrying a packer of the same constructionindicated at 32'.

In the operation of the pump the fluid will be pumped upwardly throughthe tubing by the reciprocation of the pump plunger in the usual manner.Whenthe flow of fluid to the well is impeded by the clogging of theopenings in the strainer it will be possible to wash the said openingsso that the flow to the well may be continued and this washing may takeplace without removing the pump. This washing is performed as follows: II

Liquid is pumped downwardly within the casing and outside the pumptubing into the space indicated at 45 above the packer 32. This fluidwill enter the packer bag 32 and force the same outwardly against thecasing or perforated pipe and prevent the fluid from passing further inthat direction. The liquid will thus be forced out through the openingsin the strainer and into the interior of the well outside the strainerand will pass downwardly and enter the upper openings in the strainerabove the next packer. This packer in turn will be inflated and preventthe progress of flushing fluid downwardly inside the provided with anupwardly extending rim 3|,

strainer and force it to pass outwardly through the openings in thestrainer to the exterior thereof and it will thus pass downwardly andthrough the openings below the next packer and upwardly through thespace therein and through an opening 43 to the tubing where it will becarried upwardly with the fluid being pumped.

It will be obvious that this operation will not interfere with theaction of the pump itself. The strainer may be freed of material thereinthrough the circulation of flushing liquid and material picked up by theflushing liquid will be carried outwardly with the fluid being pumped.

The use of the packers 32 and 32', etc. will not interfere with theinsertion of the device into the well. The packer will be in collapsedposition as the device is inserted downwardly and will only be expandedto close against the strainer when fluid is pumped downwardly from aboveto accomplish this action.

By the use of this device the pump may be maintained in operation forperiods materially longer than would otherwise be possible. The well maybe kept clean and the flow of the producing fluid into the well may becontinued for a much longer period than the flow could be maintained atother times where it would be materially cut oil. through closure of thestrainer openings.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, a well strainer, a pump barrel therein, aplungerreciprocable in said barrel, a skirt secured at its upper end to saidbarrel and spaced from said barrel below said upper end, a packerbetween the lower end of said skirt and said strainer, there being anopening in said barrel adjacent the upper end of said skirt to allow thepassage of fluid from beneath said skirt to said pump barrel.

2. In combination, a well strainer, a pump barrel therein, a plungerreciprocable in said barrel, a skirt secured at its upper end to saidbarrel and spaced from said barrel below said upper end, a packeradapted to be expanded by fluid pressure from above to close the spacebetween said skirt and said strainer, there being an opening in saidbarrel adjacent the upper end of said skirt to allow the passage offluid from beneath said skirt to said pump barrel.

3. A pump tubing, a pump plunger reciprocable therein, a perforated pipespaced outside said tubing, a skirt secured to said tubing and flareddownwardly, a valve controlled partition within said skirt, there beingopenings from within said skirt to said tubing above said valve, andmeans to close the space between the lower end of said skirt and saidpipe.

4. A pump tubing, a pump plunger reciprocable therein, a perforated pipespaced outside said tubing, a skirt secured to said tubing, and flareddownwardly, a partition between said skirt and said tubing, there beingopenings in said tubing above said partition, passages in saidpartition, a valve closing the passage of fluid downwardly through saidpassages, and means to close the space between the lower end of saidskirt and said pipe.

5. A pump tubing, 2. plunger reciprocable therein, a strainer spacedoutside said tubing, said tubing having openings therein above saidplunger, a skirt secured on said tubing above said openings andextending downwardly spaced from said tubing, and means responsive tofluid pressure from above to seal the lower end of said skirt with saidstrainer.

sure from above to seal the lower end of said skirt with said strainer,and means between said.

skirt and said tubing to prevent the passage of fluid downwardlytherethrough.

FRANK J. MILLER.

